Learn Hardcore Swahili: Baba alimwomba msamaha jirani yake kwa kuchelewa kurudisha jembe. - Father asked his neighbor for forgiveness for returning the hoe late.

When the object prefix m- (for class 1/2 nouns like “baba”) appears before a vowel, Swahili inserts a w for easier pronunciation. Thus a-li-m-omba surfaces as a-li-mw-omba.

What is msamaha, and what noun class is it in?

msamaha means “forgiveness” or “pardon.” It belongs to noun class 18 (abstract nouns, prefix m( )). It’s generally uncountable, so its form doesn’t change in the plural.

What role does kwa play in kwa kuchelewa kurudisha jembe?

kwa + infinitive expresses a cause or reason.

kwa kuchelewa = “because of being late”
kurudisha jembe = “to return the hoe”
Together they explain why he asked for forgiveness.

Why are there two ku- verbs: kuchelewa and kurudisha?

kuchelewa is a nominalized verb (“being late”) functioning like a noun after kwa.
kurudisha is the plain infinitive “to return,” naming the action he failed to do on time.

How does jirani yake work, and why is yake used for “his”?

jirani (“neighbor”) is a class 9 noun. The possessive pronoun for class 9/10 (“his/her”) is yake. So jirani yake literally means “his neighbor.”

Could we leave out the object prefix in alimwomba, and what changes?

Yes. If you say baba aliomba msamaha, it means “father asked for forgiveness” in general, without specifying from whom. Including -mw- (→ alimwomba) specifies “he asked him [the neighbor] for forgiveness.”

What’s the difference between msamaha and samahani?

msamaha = noun “forgiveness,” used with verbs like kuomba (“to ask for”).
samahani = interjection “I’m sorry” or “excuse me,” used on its own when apologizing.